Wow...I have never seen this way to do this and it makes so much sense...putting the 2 pattern pieces together to get the crotch length is so easy and gives you that measurement quickly..and seeing how to make the adjustments is incredible...I have sewn for decades...you can always learn something great and new...I am going to use this tomorrow..Thank you!!
Brilliant! I dislike ill-fitting clothes and especially waistbands that don't sit on the waist!... so have decided to make my own. I'm only a UK size 8 but if I wear a low slung trouser of any description I get myself a muffin top I don't even possess! Unflattering, inelegant and uncomfortable. Your video is so helpful and describes the why as well as the how and I now feel confident to alter the Joggers I intend to make. Can't thank you enough, very much appreciated 👏👏👏
This was a lifesaver!! I am majoring in Apparel Design & Construction, and I was working on a pair of pants that needed the crotch shortened, and I could not figure out how to get it right. I did your method and it worked beautifully!! Thanks so much for helping out a very stressed college student😃
This was helpful, thank you!! I'm sewing on a much very smaller scale and needed to do a "drop crotch" from the original pattern to give it more room so this helped A LOT! 💜
It would be great to see it how is done with an actual pant. Right now, I'm having problems with a jumpsuit that has a really baggy crotch area and since I'm not an expert, this vid for me is a bit abstract.
I've found different blogs with tutorials for this by a simple google Search. One that comes to mind is the refashionista denim series, specifically the european woman that made her boyfriends Jean's into a pair of chic straight jeans for her. She shows an actual process of taking in the crotch or letting it out. Really good. Just try searching for refashionista denim.
Mam , your crotch alteration video is superb and helpful to me. Because while sewing my own pant pajama I faced problem with crotch length and seeing your video I could solve my problem. Sewing is my hobby and I watch your posts regularly. Thanks Mam.
This was a very concise way of explaining this method. One question: doesn't this also change the inseam length so that it no longer matches the back inseam?
Thank you so much for this! I'm still learning how to sew clothes. Every time I make pj pants from a pattern they are always too big or too small. This is a skill I need to learn so I can make fitting adjustments.
If only there were something about how to make the front and back fit together after altering just the front. That would have made this video complete. It was mentioned in the measuring stage, but never addressed again.
One way to “save” your original pattern is to leave your copy on top and mark your adjustment for the waist line on the original tissue paper pattern. Then position your copy accordingly and trace the new crotch line. As an example: I marked my additional 1 inch ABOVE the waist on the original pattern. With the copy on top, I slid the copy up to the mark, aligning the grain as taught. I traced the crotch line needed.
This has been so interesting! Can you tell why you don't simple shorten or lengthen at the shorten and lengthen lines? Why are they there (usually just below the end of the fly front and before any curve under the crotch)? I would have always thought I could make at least small adjustments to crotch depth there.
SewJillian if you have shorten and lengthen lines along the crotch curve, you can definitely use that. With my pattern pieces, I usually find the shorten/lengthen line on the leg of the pants so that just shortens or extends pant legs and have no effect on the actual crotch length.
Professor Pincushion Thank you for getting back to me as I know you are busy. I appreciate it. Question: I had a lengthen line in the crotch line and extended by 1-7/8" now the rise seems to be longer than 9". If you are using the shorten/lengthen line in the crotch area where do you measure, e.g., from the top to the line where the crotch is is sometimes marked?
hi professor pincushion i use to sew before but I recently had a baby do you have any videos on how to adjust or grade a pattern to a bigger size . also do u have a video on how to take your own measurements to draft a basic dress pattern please and thank you
hello! We have tutorials on professorpincushion.com for pattern drafting from scratch but they're part of our premium membership for $5. They go over pattern drafting skirts, pants, and bodices. You can go to our site, click videos and then use the drop down menu to select premium. You can see a list of all the premium videos before deciding if you want to try it. Hope that helps :)
I'm curious - why use this method instead of using the lengthen/shorten line on the original pattern? (Asking to understand - is it simply preference, or are there specific reasons to use this method vs adjusting at the lengthen/shorten line just above the crotch curve?)
Your video was so helpful. I am a visual in conjunction with audio learner and it is great how you paired the two together. Would you tell if I am applying your instructions properly? The front rise is 9" and the back is 18" including the waist band. The front pattern was 9.5" so I deducted the 1.5" waistband and added 5/8" seam allowance which was 3/8" short from the 9" so I didn't adjust. The back pattern was 14" so my math was 18'-14' =4' - 1.5" (for waistband) + 5/8 seam = 1.875 difference. I added this to the back pattern. There is a big difference between the front and back. Do I know worry about that as the I only adjusted the original pattern by 1.875 except for making the outer seam of the front as long as the back and then round across/over to the seam where the crotch. Hope that makes sense and is right?
Lucy B sorry for the delay in response. So if I'm understanding you correctly, you only want to adjust the back crotch length by about 1 7/8"? In your particular case, I would add this amount to the TOP of the back crotch line and then blend this new point to the original waistline at the side seam/top of hip curve. This is because you are only adjusting one side and not the other, and we want to make sure the inner seam will still match up. The back crotch line is usually always bigger than the front because we need the room for our behind. ;)
+Professor Pincushion Hi I have more questions. The crotch rise on the front is still too long by 1.5" so to adjust so at the line do I just take in that much from the length I added to the pattern in the crotch area? Also I need to now adjust the inseam to 1.5 inches longer but the outer seam is still the same. Not sure how do I make the inseam adjustment without affecting the outer seam?
Professor Pincushion: I'm in need of help ASAP as I need to finish a pajama bottom quick. Please can you tell me where your adding the increased amount (in this case it's 1 7/8)? You say at the top of the back crotch line, but where exactly on your pattern diagram is the back crotch line and precisely the TOP? Is this where the pattern cutting line juts out to it's furthest point on the rear end side??? And then where (which direction/towards what point) are we pointing our flexible tape measure to extend the amount? And lastly, you say to blend this new point to the original waistline..so does this mean all the adjustments are made exclusively above where the crotch line meets the leg line? I am new to pattern adjustments/grading and I just came across your way of making these changes. I have heard about the Slash method and am curious what you call this method? It appears to work smoothly if the adjustments are made equally front and back, but being that my issues lie on my Backside I'm only needing to lengthen the crotch there and I've read here this causes inseam discrepancies. Can you help clarify these issues for me. I'd be grateful. Thanks!
Thank you for this demo. If I work on the 'alteration line' just above the crotch line that's on the pattern, could I extend my back by 2 inches and decrease the front by 2 inches, or would that be too large a difference (4 inches)?
I like this method better than cutting across the pattern on its adjustment line. I got exactly the same crotch depth and shape with both methods, BUT this method did not cause an overall lengthening. I made shorts. With the other method, the hem would have fallen well below the intended point.
how do I get rid of what I call "the diaper bottom" in the front of my pants. I've made palazzo pants from both purchased patterns and drafted patterns with stretched and non stretched fabric and still get the same results.
I'm really not sure. I think the crotch is too short. when I pull the pants high, the pants' center seam shows off a little too much. if I drop the waist, I end up with a lot of excess fabric. either way, I have an unwanted gathered V shape where I don't want it. can you help?
Thank you immensely for having this instruction on You Tube. Because of your video I was able to lengthen the crotch on my pants, and, as a matter of fact, all of my pants because it is almost impossible to get women's pants that do not have the short rise. I am the happiest of women. Gratefully…...
Would i just buy my trousers bigger and then alter if my problem is always extending since the closer fit wouldn't have enough fabric. Or is there a way to alter something closer to my size.
I like tutorial on pattern adjustments, but I just cannot grasp why American patterns include seam allowance. European patterns generally do not. You mark the fabric around the pattern and then cut out the pieces with seam allowance. That means you can adjust your pattern more easily and you have a line to sew along.
Good morning Professor Pincushion, I hope all is well with you and yours. I have attempted to alter my commercial pant pattern as instructed in this video. I have encountered a problem while altering the back section. The back grain lines would not align, that is on the pattern itself nor the traced out. I retraced the back twice and it still would not align. What I will do is instead of using the actual commercial pattern to cut from I will use the traced copy and do a muslin first and 'see' how it comes out...sigh :( PP ? I followed the video instructions to a 't' and I know I followed them correctly. I checked that the paper was laid on the card board properly, I checked the grain lines etc...I checked, checked and rechecked and the back still came would not align. However, the front came out perfect ! :D. I wonder if it may be the fact that I put more on the back than the front because of my butt.I will go ahead and sew a muslin and let you know how it came out. Have a fantastic weekend and God bless !
Sandria Olivia that is bizarre. I don't know why the grainline would be off when you're just extending. Worse comes to worse, you can redraw the grainline so it is parallel to the original. I wouldn't stress out about it too much. Good luck with your pants and I hope they fit. :D
Professor Pincushion Hello PP, I was away for a short while but I'm back :D Just to inform you that the pant pattern that I altered unfortunately did not come out but I'm not disappointed :). I decided to draft my own pant pattern (yay !). I have completed the draft block and I will construct it very soon :D...I'm very excited. I want to say thank you very much for your help in relation to your commercial pattern alterations. I am very grateful. I have learnt to check the 'finished' garment measurements on the pattern to get a more accurate measurement for myself. Your videos have empowered and motivated me to continue my sewing journey. I will continue to view your videos for more sewing tips :D. Thanks again. By the way ? I am in the process of sewing a skirt for a friend. It will be the first piece garment I will make for someone else. I look forward to completing the garment. :)
I don’t understand how you can add all the difference to the front piece and not alter the back piece ? How do they still match up if you keep waist band at the same place? I’m having trouble doing this to a pair of shorts
I hope you respond to this request :) When will you do another pattern video i do miss watching you sew and making my version from following along. thanks in advance!
Aw, I'm so glad you enjoy sewing with me! At this point, I don't even know when we'll do another pattern tutorial. I hope we will again but we still have plenty of great tutorials to offer. Thanks! :)
What do you do with the bottom (length). Also I would love to see how you can adjust the pattern for both rise and length. I have a long rise but I also have very long legs. I need to extend the crotch on my pattern a total of 4” (2”) on each side. At first I thought I made a mistake bc of how much the crotch point changed. A little note: the difference will be 1/2 of the adjustment.
I have altered the front by lengthening the crotch by 1in but when I went to do back I only lengthened by 1/4 in bc I have flat butt more tummy. The difference bt my measurements and pattern crotch was 1.25 inches. The problem is on the back adjustment the crotch looks higher and shorter. I wish I could send pictures
Hi and thank you for this tutorial. When you shorten the crotch in the front, is the fly part altered too as it seems the bottom of the zip will be caught in the crotch seam? *excuse my English and typo. French tactile phone user here :)*
Is it best to measure the front & back of your pants pattern minus the seam allowance, then measure yourself from front waist to center crotch & back to center crotch to see where it would be best to add the extra inches when lengthening?
Professor Pencushion, Would you recommend shorten the crotch length for guys who suffer from annoying crotch bulges caused by ill-fitted/too big jeans? I'm a small, slender guy who usually gets his trousers and pants altered. I have come to notice that my crotch area bulges every time I sit when I where certain pants of mine. It has definitely brought a sense of insecurity whenever I go out and try to have a good time. Please help me, I would like to to be properly instructed so I can send my pants to my tailor and we can fix this in a fashionably (no pun intended) manner. Thank you.
Angel Hardy Angel Hardy hi there! I definitely understand your frustration and it could be a result of the crotch length is too long, at least in the front of the pants. When I test the fit of my own pants, I test it by sitting down and seeing how big of a fold I have on the front of the pants. A little fold is fine, but too large and I know I need to shorten my crotch length. For already made pants, the process of altering is a little more complicating but it shouldn't be too hard for a professional tailor. What they probably need to do is remove the waistband and zipper, trim some of the waistline on the pants, shortening the front crotch length and then reinstalling in the zipper and waistband. If you go to your tailor and they tell you of a faster, easier method to correct, please let me in on the secret! :)
+Diane LaRue yes, for boys, you want to include more ease. If you have them put on a pair of pants that they find comfortable, you can then use that to gauge the crotch length.
not necessarily, you would still have to extending the crotch length because the zipper can only go on a straight edge and the pattern is only going to provide so much room for this
great tutorial...i prefer this to the slash method. i have a question..my hip and waist msrmts are exact to pattern and it seems my crotch length matches my pattern but im getting excess fabric at leg crease in front and baggy under my rear. i tried taking in the legs but that seemed to just make the fit weird. do you have any tips?
Measure from hip line to waist line and compare that to your pattern. It could be it's just too long of a length for your body type. That would be my guess....
Hello while I did enjoy your construction video on alternating the pants pattern do you have a video on shorten the crotch of custom made pants already made.The pants which are completely sew already the crotch is crinkle in the curvature of the crotch by a small margin in the front. I did manage to get the back to fit the buttocks perfectly. The pants have a front zipper should I drop the the front waistband down some by a 1/2 inch so when she pulls up the waist the access fabric will be taken up in the front? Thank you.
Sorry, we do not have a tutorial on this. I say your instincts are correct. It'll be a pain in the neck but you would have to take out the zipper and undo the waistband so that you can shorten the top of the fly area and this will shorten the front crotch area for you. I hope it works out so you can have some better pants. Good luck!
This video is great! However, I have one question for you. I am in the category where I need to add more length to the back rather than the front. The front crotch of the pattern is the same as mine, but I need to add about 1 1/2" to the back crotch only. Of course, by doing this the inseams are not equal. What do I do to make this work better, especially when the sides need no adjustments? Thank you!
da greatgamer For that much, I'd add the 1 1/2" to the top of the back crotch line and then the new mark blend to the waistline towards the side seam. Hope this helps. :)
Does this work with denim pants? I bought a pair of jeans and the crotch area is too big so I need to make it smaller. Still a little confused as I have little knowledge in sewing. Pls help. :-)
It's a little tricky to do with already made jeans, you might want to contact a dry cleaner/alteration business and see how much it would cost for them to do it. Basically you'd have to remove the waistband (and most likely the zipper) remove fabric from the top of the pants to shorten the crotch length and then re-sew everything back together. I wouldn't recommend taking it on until you feel more confident.
yes i am having tightness and pulling problem with my pants but i don't know how to alter my pants' pattern. your video helps a lot! thank you very much! but can i adjust the pants by adding some inches only on the back pant's pattern because i have flat tummy but a little big buttocks. if the front pant is sagging can i shorten it while at the same time lengthen the back pant? sorry for my English. thank you.
Yes, I agree that your plan makes sense. You're, essentially, taking away from the front pattern and adding it to the back. Just make sure that after you make your changes, you make a muslin to test the fit. I definitely recommend testing by sitting down and bending over to make sure the pants are comfortable. Let me know how it works out for you! Good luck! :)
Does this mean that you don't need to allow/ or factor in any ease or 'wriggle room' etc at all when comparing your measurement with the pattern? So, essentially, the pattern should be my 'literal' crotch length? Thanks!
You may add a little bit of wiggle room if it makes you more comfortable but if you add too much the crotch may look saggy instead of well-fitting. thanks :)
Hello, great video. I was wondering, when I alter just the back in a case of a big butt and flat tummy, won't the inseam of the back be shorter than the front since only the back crotch will be cutoff affecting the back inseam?
If you're just altering one and not the other, you can add the extra measurement at the top of the crotch curve and blend it into the waistline. You're making the crotch curve longer without altering the leg seams.
Hi, Just a question. In some books it says that before adjusting the crotch length you need to add ease to the difference between your measurement and the pattern measurement. You have not done this. Is there a reason there as no ease in the new adjusted crotch length?
+Patricia Pahl when I've made my own pants, I usually don't add much ease to the crotch curve. You might want to add 1/2" to the front and 1/2" to the back for ease, but definitely make a muslin to test it out. For me, even adding a little, I'll make the muslin and find that I'm constantly shortening this length just because it feels more comfortable. I think the trick is what do you find comfortable. When testing it, you'll also want to sit down and bend over. thanks for the great question.
Hello Professor Pincushion, can you demonstrate how to alter the pant hip on a commercial pattern ? Or would altering the crouch also simultaneously alter the hip ? I have asked because my butt is tad bigger than the average and I'm unsure whether the change occurs when altering one or the other . Also, my hips are 41in while the size on my pattern is 38in (I bought commercial pant patterns). Additionally, I encounter fitting problems in the back area of pants. The fit is either too low at the back,sometimes exposing the crack of my butt...which I hate to see or the crouch is a few inches too long :O...I need help in this area ...Thank you
if you're looking to increase the hipline we do have a tutorial on our channel for doing a quick alteration to this area. This tutorial for altering the crotch will not affect the hip fit so you might want to try that instead. You can add some measurement to the top of the back crotch curve though for some extra "coverage". Hope this helps :)
Many thanks from the U.K.
You have a beautifully clear American accent, so easy on the ear.
Wow...I have never seen this way to do this and it makes so much sense...putting the 2 pattern pieces together to get the crotch length is so easy and gives you that measurement quickly..and seeing how to make the adjustments is incredible...I have sewn for decades...you can always learn something great and new...I am going to use this tomorrow..Thank you!!
As always: a great tutorial! Thanks so much for the “millions” of fabulous videos you’ve given us!
Brilliant! I dislike ill-fitting clothes and especially waistbands that don't sit on the waist!... so have decided to make my own. I'm only a UK size 8 but if I wear a low slung trouser of any description I get myself a muffin top I don't even possess! Unflattering, inelegant and uncomfortable. Your video is so helpful and describes the why as well as the how and I now feel confident to alter the Joggers I intend to make. Can't thank you enough, very much appreciated 👏👏👏
This was a lifesaver!! I am majoring in Apparel Design & Construction, and I was working on a pair of pants that needed the crotch shortened, and I could not figure out how to get it right. I did your method and it worked beautifully!! Thanks so much for helping out a very stressed college student😃
I am so glad you use the pivot and slide method. I like this a whole lot bet than the slash method and i get to keep my patterns in tack.
This was helpful, thank you!! I'm sewing on a much very smaller scale and needed to do a "drop crotch" from the original pattern to give it more room so this helped A LOT! 💜
this is one of the clearest videos I've seen - well paced and succinct.
I’ve seen for many, many years~ But always seem to learn something great in your videos. Thanks for such clear & concise instructions!
It would be great to see it how is done with an actual pant. Right now, I'm having problems with a jumpsuit that has a really baggy crotch area and since I'm not an expert, this vid for me is a bit abstract.
I'm looking for the same..
Same
My exact problem
I've found different blogs with tutorials for this by a simple google Search. One that comes to mind is the refashionista denim series, specifically the european woman that made her boyfriends Jean's into a pair of chic straight jeans for her. She shows an actual process of taking in the crotch or letting it out. Really good. Just try searching for refashionista denim.
I have a weird crotch problem. From the behind it's loose and in the front, it's tight like wtf.
Mam , your crotch alteration video is superb and helpful to me. Because while sewing my own pant pajama I faced problem with crotch length and seeing your video I could solve my problem. Sewing is my hobby and I watch your posts regularly. Thanks Mam.
Glad we were able to help! :)
The best!! Thank you! So clear, careful, detailed and concise.
Wow you could not have explained this technique any better! It was perfect! I can't wait to try it! Thanks soo much!
I searched alot till I found your clear professional videos,, really thanks alot
This was a very concise way of explaining this method. One question: doesn't this also change the inseam length so that it no longer matches the back inseam?
This is the problem I’m running into. Now the bottom hem of my mock-up is uneven because the inseam lengths don’t match anymore.
@@saradraper5756 I recommend the Top Down Center Out method for pants fitting. I tried it and had great success. J Stern Designs has videos on it.
I really love your clear, concise videos - my sewing has become so much better! (and...your nails are awesome!)
Susan Uvanni thank you so much for the kind words! :)
You have been of of great help. I am beginner. But the understanding doesn't come immediately. Blessings and thank you
Thank you so much for this! I'm still learning how to sew clothes. Every time I make pj pants from a pattern they are always too big or too small. This is a skill I need to learn so I can make fitting adjustments.
Wow...I can’t wait to try this...pattern alteration seemed like rocket science before your video. I can’t wait to look at your other videos.
thankyou, i struggled with this for some time until i found your tutorial. now subscribed XXX
anthonyjon morris thanks for subscribing :)
+Professor Pincui qsion lg
Your tutorials are soooo good!Thanks a lot!
You are awesome. This instructional is exactly what I need! Thank you!
yay! Glad we were able to help :)
Thank you so much for this video! Finally I was able to make perfect fitting pants for my little daughter with Down-Syndrom :)
This tutorial is very helpful and well-done. Thank you.
Bless this tutorial! Thank you for this
If only there were something about how to make the front and back fit together after altering just the front. That would have made this video complete. It was mentioned in the measuring stage, but never addressed again.
Thank you for this tutorial! My crotch is a little big for the pants I want to make and you really helped me out!
Thank you! This instruction is excellent!
Thank you so much. Now I feel I can adjust the crotch with confidence.
This video was so useful and exactly what I needed, thank you very much!
That was smart:)did you learn it from books or came up with it?thank you for sharing:)
One way to “save” your original pattern is to leave your copy on top and mark your adjustment for the waist line on the original tissue paper pattern. Then position your copy accordingly and trace the new crotch line. As an example: I marked my additional 1 inch ABOVE the waist on the original pattern. With the copy on top, I slid the copy up to the mark, aligning the grain as taught. I traced the crotch line needed.
This has been so interesting! Can you tell why you don't simple shorten or lengthen at the shorten and lengthen lines? Why are they there (usually just below the end of the fly front and before any curve under the crotch)? I would have always thought I could make at least small adjustments to crotch depth there.
SewJillian if you have shorten and lengthen lines along the crotch curve, you can definitely use that. With my pattern pieces, I usually find the shorten/lengthen line on the leg of the pants so that just shortens or extends pant legs and have no effect on the actual crotch length.
Professor Pincushion Thank you for getting back to me as I know you are busy. I appreciate it. Question: I had a lengthen line in the crotch line and extended by 1-7/8" now the rise seems to be longer than 9". If you are using the shorten/lengthen line in the crotch area where do you measure, e.g., from the top to the line where the crotch is is sometimes marked?
You made this so easy. Thank you!!
Clear, concise and detailed. Thanks
Thank you! That was super useful 😃
Will it change the inseam length? What do you do to make sure the inseams between the front and the back panels match? Thank you!
Thanks so much!!! This is so helpful and informative
aside from comprehensive explanation, you have beautiful hands.. 😍
Thank you this instruction is so clear
hi professor pincushion i use to sew before but I recently had a baby do you have any videos on how to adjust or grade a pattern to a bigger size . also do u have a video on how to take your own measurements to draft a basic dress pattern please and thank you
hello! We have tutorials on professorpincushion.com for pattern drafting from scratch but they're part of our premium membership for $5. They go over pattern drafting skirts, pants, and bodices. You can go to our site, click videos and then use the drop down menu to select premium. You can see a list of all the premium videos before deciding if you want to try it. Hope that helps :)
Learned so much! Thank you!
Hi, thanks for sharing, but can this technique be used with a block pattern?
Hey, would you be able to do a vid showing how to resize a short pants and a long trousers ?
Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU..!☺👍,think I'm now ready to tackle a pair of trousers.
Very well explained. Thank you
Your videos are always the best!!❤️❤️
I'm curious - why use this method instead of using the lengthen/shorten line on the original pattern? (Asking to understand - is it simply preference, or are there specific reasons to use this method vs adjusting at the lengthen/shorten line just above the crotch curve?)
Omg i came here to ask the same thing. Please answer 👩🏫
Your video was so helpful. I am a visual in conjunction with audio learner and it is great how you paired the two together. Would you tell if I am applying your instructions properly? The front rise is 9" and the back is 18" including the waist band. The front pattern was 9.5" so I deducted the 1.5" waistband and added 5/8" seam allowance which was 3/8" short from the 9" so I didn't adjust. The back pattern was 14" so my math was 18'-14' =4' - 1.5" (for waistband) + 5/8 seam = 1.875 difference. I added this to the back pattern. There is a big difference between the front and back. Do I know worry about that as the I only adjusted the original pattern by 1.875 except for making the outer seam of the front as long as the back and then round across/over to the seam where the crotch. Hope that makes sense and is right?
Lucy B sorry for the delay in response. So if I'm understanding you correctly, you only want to adjust the back crotch length by about 1 7/8"? In your particular case, I would add this amount to the TOP of the back crotch line and then blend this new point to the original waistline at the side seam/top of hip curve. This is because you are only adjusting one side and not the other, and we want to make sure the inner seam will still match up. The back crotch line is usually always bigger than the front because we need the room for our behind. ;)
+Professor Pincushion Hi I have more questions. The crotch rise on the front is still too long by 1.5" so to adjust so at the line do I just take in that much from the length I added to the pattern in the crotch area? Also I need to now adjust the inseam to 1.5 inches longer but the outer seam is still the same. Not sure how do I make the inseam adjustment without affecting the outer seam?
Professor Pincushion: I'm in need of help ASAP as I need to finish a pajama bottom quick.
Please can you tell me where your adding the increased amount (in this case it's 1 7/8)? You say at the top of the back crotch line, but where exactly on your pattern diagram is the back crotch line and precisely the TOP? Is this where the pattern cutting line juts out to it's furthest point on the rear end side???
And then where (which direction/towards what point) are we pointing our flexible tape measure to extend the amount?
And lastly, you say to blend this new point to the original waistline..so does this mean all the adjustments are made exclusively above where the crotch line meets the leg line?
I am new to pattern adjustments/grading and I just came across your way of making these changes. I have heard about the Slash method and am curious what you call this method? It appears to work smoothly if the adjustments are made equally front and back, but being that my issues lie on my Backside I'm only needing to lengthen the crotch there and I've read here this causes inseam discrepancies.
Can you help clarify these issues for me. I'd be grateful. Thanks!
Well explained. Thank you 💐
At the 8:29 mark of your video, you measured down 1inch. Do you have to take into account the 5/8 seam allowance before adding the 1inch?
What if I only need to change the front not the back? I have a short torso and pelvic area.
Thank you soooo muuuch 😃😘😘😘. This was great!!!
Great information, looks easy I can't wait to try
Thank you for this demo. If I work on the 'alteration line' just above the crotch line that's on the pattern, could I extend my back by 2 inches and decrease the front by 2 inches, or would that be too large a difference (4 inches)?
If someone has more booty, then would it make sense to lengthen or shorten crotch length? Plus should you add more for the back pant pattern?
this is so great thank you!
I like this method better than cutting across the pattern on its adjustment line. I got exactly the same crotch depth and shape with both methods, BUT this method did not cause an overall lengthening. I made shorts. With the other method, the hem would have fallen well below the intended point.
Thank you
how do I get rid of what I call "the diaper bottom" in the front of my pants. I've made palazzo pants from both purchased patterns and drafted patterns with stretched and non stretched fabric and still get the same results.
I'm really not sure. I think the crotch is too short. when I pull the pants high, the pants' center seam shows off a little too much. if I drop the waist, I end up with a lot of excess fabric. either way, I have an unwanted gathered V shape where I don't want it. can you help?
This was great info. My pants' crotch is always to long. So now I know how to fix that. How do you store your patterns?
I just have them on a book shelf. Someday, I want to have a file cabinet to get really organized.
Thank you immensely for having this instruction on You Tube. Because of your video I was able to lengthen the crotch on my pants, and, as a matter of fact, all of my pants because it is almost impossible to get women's pants that do not have the short rise.
I am the happiest of women. Gratefully…...
lindamoggioable I'm so happy that you found our tutorial helpful :)
Would i just buy my trousers bigger and then alter if my problem is always extending since the closer fit wouldn't have enough fabric. Or is there a way to alter something closer to my size.
When you added/subtracted the inch at top I didn’t see you account for the seam allowance. Did you?
I like tutorial on pattern adjustments, but I just cannot grasp
why American patterns include seam allowance.
European patterns generally do not. You mark the fabric
around the pattern and then cut out the pieces with seam allowance.
That means you can adjust your pattern more easily
and you have a line to sew along.
Hi! The horizontal pucker only happens when I sit, but it bothers me. Can this tutorial help with that?
Awesome, thank you👍😊
Good morning Professor Pincushion, I hope all is well with you and yours. I have attempted to alter my commercial pant pattern as instructed in this video. I have encountered a problem while altering the back section. The back grain lines would not align, that is on the pattern itself nor the traced out. I retraced the back twice and it still would not align. What I will do is instead of using the actual commercial pattern to cut from I will use the traced copy and do a muslin first and 'see' how it comes out...sigh :(
PP ? I followed the video instructions to a 't' and I know I followed them correctly. I checked that the paper was laid on the card board properly, I checked the grain lines etc...I checked, checked and rechecked and the back still came would not align. However, the front came out perfect ! :D. I wonder if it may be the fact that I put more on the back than the front because of my butt.I will go ahead and sew a muslin and let you know how it came out. Have a fantastic weekend and God bless !
Sandria Olivia that is bizarre. I don't know why the grainline would be off when you're just extending. Worse comes to worse, you can redraw the grainline so it is parallel to the original. I wouldn't stress out about it too much. Good luck with your pants and I hope they fit. :D
Thanks PP. I will let you know how the pant 'came out' . I have not completed it as yet...need more fabric :)
Professor Pincushion
Hello PP, I was away for a short while but I'm back :D
Just to inform you that the pant pattern that I altered unfortunately did not come out but I'm not disappointed :). I decided to draft my own pant pattern (yay !). I have completed the draft block and I will construct it very soon :D...I'm very excited. I want to say thank you very much for your help in relation to your commercial pattern alterations. I am very grateful. I have learnt to check the 'finished' garment measurements on the pattern to get a more accurate measurement for myself. Your videos have empowered and motivated me to continue my sewing journey. I will continue to view your videos for more sewing tips :D. Thanks again.
By the way ? I am in the process of sewing a skirt for a friend. It will be the first piece garment I will make for someone else. I look forward to completing the garment. :)
I don’t understand how you can add all the difference to the front piece and not alter the back piece ? How do they still match up if you keep waist band at the same place? I’m having trouble doing this to a pair of shorts
Thanks your video on adjusting the crouch really was helpful, thanks!
I hope you respond to this request :) When will you do another pattern video i do miss watching you sew and making my version from following along. thanks in advance!
Aw, I'm so glad you enjoy sewing with me! At this point, I don't even know when we'll do another pattern tutorial. I hope we will again but we still have plenty of great tutorials to offer. Thanks! :)
Thanks for responding, I hope very soon. You know the summer is coming. lol :)
Excellent
What about back part after extending the front ,
We will have to match the point to point of inseam
What do you do with the bottom (length). Also I would love to see how you can adjust the pattern for both rise and length. I have a long rise but I also have very long legs. I need to extend the crotch on my pattern a total of 4” (2”) on each side. At first I thought I made a mistake bc of how much the crotch point changed. A little note: the difference will be 1/2 of the adjustment.
I have this same question. This changes the inseam length, no? How do you correct this?
Does altering just the front ( or back ) crotch length alter the inside leg length?
Wow Great advice. Exactly what I was looking for to fix a baggy seat on my pants pattern. Thank You !
I would have thought when measuring you would take into account the width of the waistband.
I have altered the front by lengthening the crotch by 1in but when I went to do back I only lengthened by 1/4 in bc I have flat butt more tummy. The difference bt my measurements and pattern crotch was 1.25 inches. The problem is on the back adjustment the crotch looks higher and shorter. I wish I could send pictures
What kind of tracing paper do uou use?
Hi and thank you for this tutorial.
When you shorten the crotch in the front, is the fly part altered too as it seems the bottom of the zip will be caught in the crotch seam?
*excuse my English and typo. French tactile phone user here :)*
It depends on how much you shorten it. If you do shorten it too much you may have use a shorter fly zipper
Inner leg seam, please. How do make them match in length?
I am having the biggest problem would you please show a example for someone who has a large belly
Is it best to measure the front & back of your pants pattern minus the seam allowance, then measure yourself from front waist to center crotch & back to center crotch to see where it would be best to add the extra inches when lengthening?
Thank you!👍🏻😊👏👏👏
Professor Pencushion,
Would you recommend shorten the crotch length for guys who suffer from annoying crotch bulges caused by ill-fitted/too big jeans? I'm a small, slender guy who usually gets his trousers and pants altered. I have come to notice that my crotch area bulges every time I sit when I where certain pants of mine. It has definitely brought a sense of insecurity whenever I go out and try to have a good time. Please help me, I would like to to be properly instructed so I can send my pants to my tailor and we can fix this in a fashionably (no pun intended) manner. Thank you.
Angel Hardy Angel Hardy hi there! I definitely understand your frustration and it could be a result of the crotch length is too long, at least in the front of the pants. When I test the fit of my own pants, I test it by sitting down and seeing how big of a fold I have on the front of the pants. A little fold is fine, but too large and I know I need to shorten my crotch length. For already made pants, the process of altering is a little more complicating but it shouldn't be too hard for a professional tailor. What they probably need to do is remove the waistband and zipper, trim some of the waistline on the pants, shortening the front crotch length and then reinstalling in the zipper and waistband. If you go to your tailor and they tell you of a faster, easier method to correct, please let me in on the secret! :)
Hi,
How can I add crotch length to store-bought Jumpsuit?
Thanks, KS
When making dress slacks for boy's size 8-10 wouldn't I need more ease? The slacks also have pleats would that matter? Thanks Diane
+Diane LaRue yes, for boys, you want to include more ease. If you have them put on a pair of pants that they find comfortable, you can then use that to gauge the crotch length.
Hi and Thank you for all you videos! may i ask you if i want to add a larger zipper would i make the crouch larger?
not necessarily, you would still have to extending the crotch length because the zipper can only go on a straight edge and the pattern is only going to provide so much room for this
great tutorial...i prefer this to the slash method. i have a question..my hip and waist msrmts are exact to pattern and it seems my crotch length matches my pattern but im getting excess fabric at leg crease in front and baggy under my rear. i tried taking in the legs but that seemed to just make the fit weird. do you have any tips?
Measure from hip line to waist line and compare that to your pattern. It could be it's just too long of a length for your body type. That would be my guess....
Hello while I did enjoy your construction video on alternating the pants pattern do you have a video on shorten the crotch of custom made pants already made.The pants which are completely sew already the crotch is crinkle in the curvature of the crotch by a small margin in the front. I did manage to get the back to fit the buttocks perfectly. The pants have a front zipper should I drop the the front waistband down some by a 1/2 inch so when she pulls up the waist the access fabric will be taken up in the front? Thank you.
You do realize you are asking and sharing this question on Google+ and not on You Tube?
Tina Brannon Yeah that's what we do in the sewing community.
Sorry, we do not have a tutorial on this. I say your instincts are correct. It'll be a pain in the neck but you would have to take out the zipper and undo the waistband so that you can shorten the top of the fly area and this will shorten the front crotch area for you. I hope it works out so you can have some better pants. Good luck!
So this does not account for ease is that correct?
This video is great! However, I have one question for you. I am in the category where I need to add more length to the back rather than the front. The front crotch of the pattern is the same as mine, but I need to add about 1 1/2" to the back crotch only. Of course, by doing this the inseams are not equal. What do I do to make this work better, especially when the sides need no adjustments? Thank you!
da greatgamer For that much, I'd add the 1 1/2" to the top of the back crotch line and then the new mark blend to the waistline towards the side seam. Hope this helps. :)
Does this work with denim pants? I bought a pair of jeans and the crotch area is too big so I need to make it smaller. Still a little confused as I have little knowledge in sewing. Pls help. :-)
It's a little tricky to do with already made jeans, you might want to contact a dry cleaner/alteration business and see how much it would cost for them to do it. Basically you'd have to remove the waistband (and most likely the zipper) remove fabric from the top of the pants to shorten the crotch length and then re-sew everything back together. I wouldn't recommend taking it on until you feel more confident.
Many thanks!
yes i am having tightness and pulling problem with my pants but i don't know how to alter my pants' pattern. your video helps a lot! thank you very much! but can i adjust the pants by adding some inches only on the back pant's pattern because i have flat tummy but a little big buttocks. if the front pant is sagging can i shorten it while at the same time lengthen the back pant? sorry for my English. thank you.
Yes, I agree that your plan makes sense. You're, essentially, taking away from the front pattern and adding it to the back. Just make sure that after you make your changes, you make a muslin to test the fit. I definitely recommend testing by sitting down and bending over to make sure the pants are comfortable. Let me know how it works out for you! Good luck! :)
Does this mean that you don't need to allow/ or factor in any ease or 'wriggle room' etc at all when comparing your measurement with the pattern? So, essentially, the pattern should be my 'literal' crotch length? Thanks!
You may add a little bit of wiggle room if it makes you more comfortable but if you add too much the crotch may look saggy instead of well-fitting. thanks :)
Thank you for this video 👌👌👌🤝🤝❤️
Hello, great video. I was wondering, when I alter just the back in a case of a big butt and flat tummy, won't the inseam of the back be shorter than the front since only the back crotch will be cutoff affecting the back inseam?
If you're just altering one and not the other, you can add the extra measurement at the top of the crotch curve and blend it into the waistline. You're making the crotch curve longer without altering the leg seams.
Hi,
Just a question. In some books it says that before adjusting the crotch length you need to add ease to the difference between your measurement and the pattern measurement. You have not done this. Is there a reason there as no ease in the new adjusted crotch length?
+Patricia Pahl when I've made my own pants, I usually don't add much ease to the crotch curve. You might want to add 1/2" to the front and 1/2" to the back for ease, but definitely make a muslin to test it out. For me, even adding a little, I'll make the muslin and find that I'm constantly shortening this length just because it feels more comfortable. I think the trick is what do you find comfortable. When testing it, you'll also want to sit down and bend over. thanks for the great question.
Hello Professor Pincushion, can you demonstrate how to alter the pant hip on a commercial pattern ? Or would altering the crouch also simultaneously alter the hip ? I have asked because my butt is tad bigger than the average and I'm unsure whether the change occurs when altering one or the other . Also, my hips are 41in while the size on my pattern is 38in (I bought commercial pant patterns). Additionally, I encounter fitting problems in the back area of pants. The fit is either too low at the back,sometimes exposing the crack of my butt...which I hate to see or the crouch is a few inches too long :O...I need help in this area ...Thank you
if you're looking to increase the hipline we do have a tutorial on our channel for doing a quick alteration to this area. This tutorial for altering the crotch will not affect the hip fit so you might want to try that instead. You can add some measurement to the top of the back crotch curve though for some extra "coverage". Hope this helps :)
Thank you Professor Pincushion. It has helped :D